Fulbright 2017-2018

[indexes]

8 hours ago, Mossy.artist said:

I'm actually a bit stressed about mine. My nerves were brain blocking me for days before the interview PLUS I worked the entire day before and 4-7am before my 9am interview so I only had about 4 hours of sleep. I did not feel prepared at all!! I'm ashamed to say it but I almost feel as if I "Trumped" some of my replies. I was so flustered! Its really been messing with me ever since to know that I could have messed up months and months of hard work and waiting in 20 minutes. Hopefully I'm just blowing the whole thing out of proportion in my memory. Its just driving me crazy! 

I talked to a current Fulbrighter (in Jordan) and they said this is totally normal, if that helps to ease your nerves.  Also no need stressing about something that has passed, so now you can relax and breathe. Fingers crossed for you, @Mossy.artist!

[Horb]

8 hours ago, McGhee said:

It made my stomach drop too seeing that!! Nonetheless, I don't think so, or at least I hope not! Based on the info from last year the dates varied somewhat (2/2, 2/3 and some even as late as 2/10). So us UK semi-finalists who haven't heard still have a chance. Sadly, the waiting game continues...ugh.

 

Remember, not everyone gets an interview and that doesn't mean that you won't be a finalist!!!

[Dilemma1]

12 hours ago, daishahistory said:

Do all the interview emails go out at once like the semi finalist notification? I didn't receive one...  

Nope!  They are spread out.  Last year the first one went out Feb 3 and I received mine Feb 10 and sat0ri's was received on Feb 15!  I wouldn't start to worry until it's past mid-February.  Even then some places truly do not do interviews...there is absolutely still a chance!

Edited February 2, 2017 by Dilemma1

[Dilemma1]

18 hours ago, minswho said:

Hey guys!
I'm a UK semi-finalist who decided to stop lurking and post something in the forum

Anyways, I received an email from the UK Fulbright commission notifying me of my interview few hours ago and was wondering if there were any finalists here I could maybe speak to about the interview?

Hey @minswho would you mind adding your interview info to the spreadsheet?  It's really helpful for current and future Fulbright applicants to get a sense of how long the wait is and when to expect certain news.  Thank you in advance!  

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AlU2xDiiVhQjK3quPy6qXJuhgXYghzzG8L4YNT0unX0/edit#gid=929221519

[AnnMarie]

1 hour ago, Dilemma1 said:

Hey @minswho would you mind adding your interview info to the spreadsheet?  It's really helpful for current and future Fulbright applicants to get a sense of how long the wait is and when to expect certain news.  Thank you in advance!  

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AlU2xDiiVhQjK3quPy6qXJuhgXYghzzG8L4YNT0unX0/edit#gid=929221519

@bluet and the one other person I saw applying to Poland. Go ahead and put your names on it as well I know looking at previous years spreadsheets helped me so I know it'll help next year's applicants.

[McGhee]

5 hours ago, Horb said:

Remember, not everyone gets an interview and that doesn't mean that you won't be a finalist!!!

Is that true for the UK? I know some places like Germany do not interview, but the Fulbright page for the UK partnership with UCL seemed pretty explicit that there would be an interview if you were considered. 

[Dilemma1]

8 minutes ago, McGhee said:

Is that true for the UK? I know some places like Germany do not interview, but the Fulbright page for the UK partnership with UCL seemed pretty explicit that there would be an interview if you were considered. 

There's always been some confusion about this in previous years.  This is from the 2014-15 forum by visanth14 who said on Feb 14, 2014 about how yes the Fulbright US/UK website seems pretty definitive when it comes to interviews BUT:

"..... I'm not sure that that's entirely the case. My FPA contacted some of her FPA "listserv friends" to see if other FPAs have had UK applicants with a similar experience. Their responses suggest that you and I are definitely not alone in being invite-less and that not all invites may be sent out at the same time. Additionally, some of them seem to think some candidates who are being seriously considered aren't interviewed at all.

Also, I came across a message posted in a similar Fulbright forum a couple years back written by a UK applicant who was recommended but didn't get an interview invite. The applicant contacted the International Advisor to find out if his/her application was still under consideration. The applicant posted the International Advisor's response: ""Not to worry... It simply means that the committee has sufficient info without requiring an interview, but the candidate is still in play. As you can imagine, we just can't interview all 600+!"

So, basically, there's really no way to know anything just yet. Cheers to hanging in there and waiting it out!"

[McGhee]

3 minutes ago, Dilemma1 said:

There's always been some confusion about this in previous years.  This is from the 2014-15 forum by visanth14 who said on Feb 14, 2014 about how yes the Fulbright US/UK website seems pretty definitive when it comes to interviews BUT:

"..... I'm not sure that that's entirely the case. My FPA contacted some of her FPA "listserv friends" to see if other FPAs have had UK applicants with a similar experience. Their responses suggest that you and I are definitely not alone in being invite-less and that not all invites may be sent out at the same time. Additionally, some of them seem to think some candidates who are being seriously considered aren't interviewed at all.

Also, I came across a message posted in a similar Fulbright forum a couple years back written by a UK applicant who was recommended but didn't get an interview invite. The applicant contacted the International Advisor to find out if his/her application was still under consideration. The applicant posted the International Advisor's response: ""Not to worry... It simply means that the committee has sufficient info without requiring an interview, but the candidate is still in play. As you can imagine, we just can't interview all 600+!"

So, basically, there's really no way to know anything just yet. Cheers to hanging in there and waiting it out!"

 

Wow--that's a great reference and great to know! I'll still be a ball of nerves waiting, but at least I know it is not definite--THANKS & CHEERS to you too!! 

[Horb]

38 minutes ago, McGhee said:

Is that true for the UK? I know some places like Germany do not interview, but the Fulbright page for the UK partnership with UCL seemed pretty explicit that there would be an interview if you were considered. 

Yeah, I've posted before about this. Some universities do not interview. Some do interview, but do not interview everyone (and this does not necessarily mean you are out of the running). I met one person who didn't get an interview, others for her uni did, and then she got the grant. So really, it is all a mystery. 

That said, usually if the uni does do interviews, everyone eventually gets one, but that is not ALWAYS the case. 

[indexes]

5 hours ago, AnnMarie said:

@bluet and the one other person I saw applying to Poland. Go ahead and put your names on it as well I know looking at previous years spreadsheets helped me so I know it'll help next year's applicants.

Done. Hopefully correctly! Thanks for the tip, didn't know we could edit it.

It looks like the interview dates this year are a week earlier than last year. Hopefully that translates to knowing our fates faster in March.  Also, are there any other Poland ETAers around? 

Edited February 2, 2017 by indexes
extra bit about interview dates added

[AnnMarie]

1 hour ago, indexes said:

Done. Hopefully correctly! Thanks for the tip, didn't know we could edit it.

It looks like the interview dates this year are a week earlier than last year. Hopefully that translates to knowing our fates faster in March.  Also, are there any other Poland ETAers around? 

Lol! That's exactly what I was thinking/ hoping! They were on the ball the year.  how did your interview go?

Edited February 2, 2017 by AnnMarie
Changed u to I

[indexes]

8 minutes ago, AnnMarie said:

Lol! That's exactly what I was thinking/ hoping! They were on the ball the year.  how did your interview go?

I don't have mine until next week.  I am torn between wanting it to happen now and grateful that ETA interviews are done later than the research ones. How did yours go?

[failedvegetarian]

Hi all,

 

First time poster! I just received an email this week about a Skype Interview for ETA to Colombia.

 

For Fulbright Colombia is a pleasure to inform you that you have been pre-selected  for an Skype interview as the next step of the process for becoming an ETA in the cohort 2017-2018, your interview has been programed for Thursday, 09 February, 2017 In the following list you may find your name and hour for this activity.

 

Does anyone have experience with this types of interviews/know what to expect? I didn't know that ETA's had Skype interviews, so this has been an exciting few days trying to figure everything out! Any tips at all would be greatly appreciated

 

[indexes]

27 minutes ago, failedvegetarian said:

Hi all,

 

First time poster! I just received an email this week about a Skype Interview for ETA to Colombia.

 

For Fulbright Colombia is a pleasure to inform you that you have been pre-selected  for an Skype interview as the next step of the process for becoming an ETA in the cohort 2017-2018, your interview has been programed for Thursday, 09 February, 2017 In the following list you may find your name and hour for this activity.

 

Does anyone have experience with this types of interviews/know what to expect? I didn't know that ETA's had Skype interviews, so this has been an exciting few days trying to figure everything out! Any tips at all would be greatly appreciated

 

Congrats! I've had a few Skype interviews in the past and it's pretty much to same as an in-person interview. Find a nice, quiet room with a neutral background and be sure your computer works (sound & video). Try to look at the webcam when you speak to simulate eye-contact every once in a while instead of looking down at the image on your screen the whole time. Content-wise, it's probably about what you've written on your application and why you want to do an ETA in Colombia. Just be yourself!

The only thing confusing about a Skype interview for me is if they call first at the appointed time or if you do. Maybe others who've applied before or have had interviews already can give some insight on this? 

[AnnMarie]

1 hour ago, indexes said:

I don't have mine until next week.  I am torn between wanting it to happen now and grateful that ETA interviews are done later than the research ones. How did yours go?

I had no idea ETA ones were done later! It's super easy. They will ask why the fulbright, why Poland, how do you see yourself as an ambassador, why does this make it a good time for the fulbright, how you would adapt in a new culture, and MAYBE about how your Polish is. and if they ask if you have any questions at the end, just ask something along the lines of "what advice would you give a Fulbrighter in Poland". It's not so bad!

Edited February 3, 2017 by AnnMarie
Typo

[AnnMarie]

41 minutes ago, indexes said:

 

The only thing confusing about a Skype interview for me is if they call first at the appointed time or if you do. Maybe others who've applied before or have had interviews already can give some insight on this? 

I actually wondered this too. That and who hangs up first. But my committee called me 20 minutes early! That was surprising. And they were the ones to hang up first.

Edited February 3, 2017 by AnnMarie

[indexes]

4 hours ago, AnnMarie said:

I had no idea ETA ones were done later! It's super easy. They will ask why the fulbright, why Poland, how do you see yourself as an ambassador, why does this make it a good time for the fulbright, how you would adapt in a new culture, and MAYBE about how your Polish is. and if they ask if you have any questions at the end, just ask something along the lines of "what advice would you give a Fulbrighter in Poland". It's not so bad!

 

4 hours ago, AnnMarie said:

I actually wondered this too. That and who hangs up first. But my committee called me 20 minutes early! That was surprising. And they were the ones to hang up first.

Looking at last year, it seems like ETAs also had interviews later. I was a little confused on why everyone else had their interviews between Jan 30 - 31 but then I remembered you guys are research grants, lol. Those are generally the questions I was expecting -- I have such a bad tendency to sound like a tacky political candidate during interviews so I really have to curb that habit. 

I always assume that they call first (and hang up first) just in case they are busy on their end with pulling up documents, i.e. statement of grant purpose, personal statement, to review during the interview or assembling people -- don't want to catch them off-guard. But twenty minutes early? I hope they didn't catch you off guard.  

[minswho]

20 hours ago, Dilemma1 said:

Hey @minswho would you mind adding your interview info to the spreadsheet?  It's really helpful for current and future Fulbright applicants to get a sense of how long the wait is and when to expect certain news.  Thank you in advance!  

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AlU2xDiiVhQjK3quPy6qXJuhgXYghzzG8L4YNT0unX0/edit#gid=929221519

done! 

and no problem. I'd be happy to help future applicants. 

[Beals]

Got rejected from Fulbright-Canada last night.

[Horb]

1 hour ago, Beals said:

Got rejected from Fulbright-Canada last night.

I'm so sorry  

[Dilemma1]

3 hours ago, minswho said:

done! 

and no problem. I'd be happy to help future applicants. 

I noticed on the spreadsheet this is your second time applying! Did you apply to the UK the first time as well?

[Beals]

4 hours ago, Horb said:

I'm so sorry  

Thank you for the sympathy. I think this award is a bit different than the others because it's for Canadians to study in the US, and I don't even have any acceptances to the US yet, so I'm still more worried about that... but it does suck that the first news I hear from everything is a rejection

[Horb]

1 hour ago, Beals said:

Thank you for the sympathy. I think this award is a bit different than the others because it's for Canadians to study in the US, and I don't even have any acceptances to the US yet, so I'm still more worried about that... but it does suck that the first news I hear from everything is a rejection

Hopefully this makes you feel better, but I applied to 12 programs and was rejected by 9. It felt bad, but when I got to my program now, I was SO happy. I honestly can't fathom being anywhere else. Weird things happen, but for a reason (IMO).

[ibette]

20 hours ago, failedvegetarian said:

Hi all,

 

First time poster! I just received an email this week about a Skype Interview for ETA to Colombia.

 

For Fulbright Colombia is a pleasure to inform you that you have been pre-selected  for an Skype interview as the next step of the process for becoming an ETA in the cohort 2017-2018, your interview has been programed for Thursday, 09 February, 2017 In the following list you may find your name and hour for this activity.

 

Does anyone have experience with this types of interviews/know what to expect? I didn't know that ETA's had Skype interviews, so this has been an exciting few days trying to figure everything out! Any tips at all would be greatly appreciated

 

I am a fellow Colombian Fulbright Semi-finalist here (although for the research grant). I don't think we have interviews for the Research Grant portion but if you need a practice run, please feel free to PM me. I am a native Spanish speaker so I may be able to help! 

[Dash123]

Hey everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone else here has a chronic disease (or even mental health issue) and is applying for a Fulbright? Aside from trying to plan how to manage it abroad if I'm selected for my ETA, I'm wondering if there will be any stage in the application where medical issues could bar a person from going? I believe I'll be able to handle my condition as long as I have my medications with me, but is this something I'll have to disclose?

Thanks,

Dash